SLIDE 2 Multicultural Character Element of Improvisation A blend of many elements from many cultures – Birth at the turn of the 20th century in America Blues, ragtime, march, and other music stemming from Creole, AfricanAmerican, white, and Latino musical traditions – later jazz musicians would incorporate classical music elements as well as rock and roll elements into the compositions. These elements help define the various sub styles of jazz, but the two main elements are still its multicultural character and the use of improvisation In jazz, it isn’t so important what the piece of music is – but more so what the performer does with the musical lines (inflection/improvisation etc…) SLIDE 3 Although jazz is considered a blend of different musical styles, two of those styles are the most import are – Blues and Ragtime Blues: 12 Bar structure, emphasis on musical improvisation in the “breaks” of the vocal line – provided the model for early vocal jazz – and – to some degree, nonvocal jazz. Ragtime Originally an entirely instrumental style – and its unprecedented popularity from its origins in 1890s until about the time of WWI paved the way fro all AfricanAmerican music that followed SLIDE 4 Jazz and Ragtime used interchangeably at the beginning Published piano works made this genre remembered for its emphasis on piano. In fact – this remembrance was due to the immense popularity of the living room piano in the middle class American households of the 19th century Piano production and purchase doubled and the tripled in the years following 1890 reaching a peak of 350,000 in 1909 SLIDE 5 Rag elements and form The form (DiAGRAM – p. 69) Sousa and the March – Play Washington Post Example Strains (usually 16 measures long) Made up of 4 phrases of 4 measures each Trio – somewhere in the middle of the rag – with much more syncopation in the right hand (the higher end of the piano) Syncopation First publication 1897 – but it was Scott Joplin’s maple Leaf Rag that was the most popular! (LISTENING) – ID elements – AA BB CC (TRIO) DD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc SLIDE 6 Dixieland Jazz Ragtime pieces for a larger group of instruments Performers probably couldn’t read music – so the form had a very general structure and this also led to much more improvisation Played in the Blues from and style (including the improvised sections) The most important influence of Dixieland was the music of New Orleans SLIDE 7 Diverse lineage (French, Spanish, French, US (Louisiana purchase), port city of the Carrabean, settlers from Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, and Scotland Major port in the slave trade – as a result huge African American influence After the Civil War, Louisiana became a popular place for African American “fraternaties” – almost kinds of semi-secret clubs – these clubs had small bands made up of brass, woodwind, drums and bass instruments – ended up being dance bands for the community Buddy Bolden – the “father of jazz” Cornet (trumpet) player and dance band leader – huge use of syncopation with his dance bands Led to Jelly Roll Morton (piano) and Joe “King” Oliver (cornet/trumpet) being band leaders out of New Orleans Original Dixieland Five – first Dixieland band recordings – they were a white band from New York City - recorded in 1917 Why a white band? Discrimination (left over) and politics At the time – widely believed that African Americans only liked music written by African Americans and whites only interested in music by whites SLIDE 8 Instrument Roles 1 melody (trumpet) 1 Decoration (clarinet/sax) 1 mid range with glissandos – smearing between notes 1 bass line (bass or tuba) rhythm – Drums, banjo, piano, guitar Diagram p. 74 Flat Four Meter – only the downbeats of each measure not beats 2 and 4 (backbeat) as is found in later jazz LISTEN – Tiger Rag Slide 9 1920s - prohibition – alcohol was illegal! Chicago became the moonshine capital of the United States – and where there was illegal alcohol, there was jazz. Louis Armstrong Huge in establishing the recognizable jazz form. SLIDE 10 Jazz tune organization diagram (78) Main theme = Head – straight ahead with little improve Sets up the format for the following solo sections – uses the same chords (not unlike the blues chords format) Solos – done over specific chord changes and the solists are making choices about which notes to play and which ones to leave out. Good soloist = originality, variation, rhythm and timbres, Trading fours – two instruments soloing every four measures Scat singing – a solo on the voice using stylized syllables LISTENING West End Blues Comment on Armstrong’s trumpet solo #10 on p. 81 – lead instrument identification SLIDE 11 Swing All of the jazz we have listened to so far is known as “Combos” small groups playing jazz – one person on each instrument BUT – all through this time period - there was another type of ensemble with 20 or sometimes even 30 musicians with different SECTIONS – for example 2-5 trumpets and trombones etc These ensembles were called “Big Bands” The rhythm subdivision diagrams and examples – p. 82 DRAW ON BOARD – the new “Swing Rhythm” MORE POLISHED, SMOOTH, PROFESSIONAL QUALITY -Reflected the more upscale nature of both the musicians and the new listening audience. SLIDE 12 Rhythm Melody – more tuneful – based on popular music of the time – melodic material = riff based Texture – Big Bands played a smooth homophonic texture - VERY different from the Dixieland texture diagram Freewheeling group improvisation of the Dixieland bands disappear Timbre and Instrumentation piano) 3-5 trumpets, 3-4 trombones, 3-5 sax, rhythm section (bass, guitar, drums, No more Clarinet (some bandleaders used this – Benny Goodman) – No more Tuba Similar to the Head, Solos, and Head form SLIDE 13 32 Bar song from built on 4, 8 bar phrases in the pattern of AABA. Band differences – the band is much more active during the solo sections – interjecting short melodic segments (Riffs) to accompany the solos MUCH more complex than Dixieland form Other elements Musicians now could read music and worked from CHARTS – written parts for the band – the ARRANGER took the leadership position – sometimes not even playing in the band! Arranger/bandleader – Duke Ellington – piano and arranger of the “Charts” LISTENING – It Don’t Mean A thing! FORM – (AABA – initially – stop after it fulfills this obligation) who plays the tune (sings) in each section What does the band do while the singer sings? How does the tune end? SLIDE 14 Musicians hating the restrictions of big band group playing and often took the most pleasure from playing in unofficial “Jam “ sessions Developed into “cutting sessions” the challenge to be more virtuostic than the previous player! Helped develop the complexity of the solos and pattern of the improvisation Eventually took over the mainstream jazz Led to Bebop Charlie Parker (sax) and Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet) Complex, virtuostic breed of jazz – left many listeners confused because of the complexity of the music SLIDE 15 Rhythm – FAST! The defining element of bebop Melody – angular and disjunct Harmony – VERY complex – addition of unusual and EXTENDED chords Not 3 notes, but 5, or six notes Fast tempos – means harmonies change quickly as well SLIDE 16 Timbre and Instrumentation Combos varied in size and usually didn’t have more than 5 or 6 musicians Sax, trumpet, string bass, piano, and drum set Guitar – when used moved to a melodic instrument rather than accompanying Drum set – moved to the suspended cymbal for timekeeping instead of the snare drum Form – the only element LESS complex than swing Usually followed the traditional jazz format shown before (Head, solo, head) Difference – the solos were repeated many, many times before returning to the head – sometimes as much as 10 minutes worth! Other elements – musicians had a sense of humor – often quoting each others improvisations in their own LISTENING – Charlie Parker – “Mohawk” Q from page 89 – #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #9, #10 (Diagram) SLIDE 17 Cool Jazz Counter reaction to the Hard Bop movement of the 1940s – opposite side of the spectrum – Led by Miles Davis (trumpet) More contemplative, relaxed ambiance Solos less explosive – more focused on exact note placement – responded to through light drum characters. Experimental – new meters (5/11), new timbres (new instruments – Horn, Vibes…)advanced harmony, more compositional types of form LISTENING – Freddie Freeloader SLIDE 18 Free Jazz SLIDE 19 Fusion